KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI maintained its steady trend to close at its intraday high on Tuesday as investors' risk appetite improved.

       At 5pm, the 30-stock index closed up 13.09 points, or 0.83% at 1,583.91, its highest since Sept 9.

       On the broader market, gainers trounced losers by 548 to 517, while 456 counters were unchanged. About 5.19 billion shares, valued at RM3.55bil, changed hands.

       Dealers said the broadly upbeat mood comes as investors look past the Covid-19 infections cases, and instead focus on the long-term recovery outlook.

       Among the 30 FBM KLCI constituents, 18 stocks were higher; nine were lower while three traded flat.

       Stock market data showed foreign funds and retailers were net buyers at RM131mil and RM22mil respectively on Monday. Local institutions were the net sellers at RM154mil.

       Advancers among the FBM KLCI component stocks included Hong Leong Financial Group, which added 30 sen to RM18.20, Telekom Malaysia rose 28 sen to RM5.96 and Hartalega climbed 25 sen to RM5.97.

       Petronas Gas rose 18 sen to RM17.08 and Petronas Dagangan gained 16 sen to RM19.56.

       MISC, PPB, and Hong Leong Bank fell four sen each to RM6.90, RM18.46, and RM18.56 respectively.

       On the broader market, F&N jumped 84 sen to RM27.80, Bursa Malaysia rose 36 sen to RM7.79 and Carzo advanced 28 sen to RM3.33.

       SAM Engineering tumbled RM1.40 to RM21.82, Heineken fell 70 sen to RM133.80 and Batu Kawan declined 22 sen to RM21.76.

       Around the region, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.94% to close at 28,230.61 while South Korea’s Kospi closed down 39.92 points.

       Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 1.4% to 24,962.59 and China’s CSI300 index fell 1.1%, to 4,883.84.